Auxiliary stack-guide for paper-cutting machines.



c. F. w. THOMAS.

AUXILIARY STACK GUIDE FOR PAPER CU TTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.19, 1911 FL 5351 45% Patented D60. 25, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. F. W. THOMAS.

AUXILIARY STACK GUIDE FOR PAPER CUTTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION F-ILED MAR. 19, 191?- Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES 1 w. THO-MAS, Q -DMAHAcNEBB SK Auxrnmmr 's'rneK- U E FOR rerun-enemies ili oi zruns.

" p eific i nfi Le ter Patent- Patented ,D 25 (191:7.

inpplication filedilliarchiwgmm. -Serial No. 155,857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .CHAnnEs F. THOMAS, a citizen of tthe United :States of America, residing at thecitydf/Omaha, and county of Douglas, and State of Nebraska, have invented anew -'and useful Auxiliary Stack-Guide for PapereGutting Machines, of which the followingiis a-;specification.

This invention relates to improvements in auxiliary stack guides for paper cutting machines.

The object oftheinventioni is vto. provide a removable guide WhlChilS adapted rtorbe placed against the usual lsta'ck guide 1 or Zfollower of a paper cutting machine, andrbeneath the vertically :mo'vable stack clamp, after the said follower hasbeeni moved forward adjacent to or "against 1 the said 1 stack clamp, the said guide having downwardly swinging, spring controlled members which permit the clamp: to :engage': the stack, While the said swinging members at'thesameftime form a back or guide for-the sta'ckythus permitting a stack of any zwidthless than that of the clamp to-be properly backed while beingisubjected to'the action ofKthe cuttin gknife.

Further, to provide an auxiliary-stack guide I for paper cutting machines, I comprising a longitudinal plate having transversely arranged, spaced, spring controlled :avings pivotally connected thereto :at *their lower ends, the "wings on the right 'ofsthe-oenter of said pl ate being incline'ditoward' the right, the other wings" being inclined in the opposite direction, means being provided fort-defining theinclination ofsaid wings under the actionof 'their'springs said auxiliary guide being adapted to abut against .the main-guide or follower of the cutting-machine and beneath the clamp thereof.

These objects are accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in .7 the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is -a' front view of apaper .cutting machine, showing-the "improyed guide in position thereon.

Fig. 2, is a 'centr'al, vertical, longitudinal sectional 'v-ie'w o'f 'f Fig. -:1, showing athe improved #gu'iide in positiona againstethe main guide or follower and beneath ithe '-.-stack {clam-p, a stack ofspaper 'or. eafihboandabeing shown backed against theiguide .in position to bezclainped. I Eig.q3, is ancenlargedfront yiewpfxthe guide. 1

4,:isea longitudinalsectional vieiv full size':of portion ofzthe guide-showing the manner of defining thesxupavardimovement of; the .swinging'tblades. And

;'Fig. 5,1is. a transverse, vertical, sectional vlewqofFig. .4, showing :.more clearly the bladeeactuatingi spring. simila-r. letters of 1 reference refer to simi- 1arparts throughout :the f several views. R-Referring to'the accompanying TlrflW- 1ngs,+ a

ThQ':-11UII1EI'&1.?1 indicates the side frames ofa-paper-cutting .machine; 2,;the table thereof; 3, the cross frame: which connects the upper ends of thesidezjframes ;'4,.the.vertically movable .clamp for engagingia stack .of paper 5 andf6,-i the. screws and: hand wheel, respectively, for operating. the clampi-7, the .stackguide. or follower for: backingmnd positioninga; 1 stacle of .paper on card: board; 8 and 9, the feed screw and its-hand Wheel, respectively, 1 for operatingv the follower 110, theoutter. or knife .11, the" knife supporting frame 12, the operating lever: therefor and 13, the spring mechanism for normally holding theknifeframe in a raised :position.

The machine above outlined," isuai style of paper cutting machine in I common use, and therefore, forms no part of the :presentsinvention, and is" illustrated only to; show? the application of the improved guide, and the position .occu-piedby the guide; relativelye-to' thecla mp, and,follower of the paper cutting machine.

I-n -paper cutting machines of thischaracter,;th e face, of theclamp 4, is usually betweenthree and four inches wide, and the igui'desor follower/7, Which forms a backing for thestack of-paper,-can;be fedforward onlywuntilit reaches the clamp, andnd-far- ,ther, as will be understood by reference ;-to Fig.2.

lt will thus-be S6811 that if" it;should;he

desired to cut a-stack. of paper or cardboard of less widththan the face of the. clamp it would be necessary to place-anaauXiliary guide .or; back, suchas, block :ofwood ';;or -metai, against the follower 7, to form an abutment for the stack. This method is very unsatisfactory, as the auxiliary guide must be thick enough to form a back for the stack, and yet not too thick to prevent the clamp from compressing the stack sufficiently to hold it intact under the action of the cutter. As such an auxiliary back or guide must necessarily be of less thickness'than the depth of the stack to be cut, in order to permit the clamp to compress the stack sufficiently, it will be seen that the uppermost sheets in the stack will have no backing during the initial compression of the stack, and are therefore apt to get out of alinement, and under the action of the cutter they will be still further distorted, so that many of the sheets will be unevenly cut and therefore rendered useless for the particular purpose intended.

The present invention completely eliminates all of these disadvantages by providing a back or guide which is positioned beneath the clamp, and which is composed of pivoted, spring controlled, inclined wings, which are pressed down by the clamp simultaneously with the clamping of thestack of paper, thus forming a thoroughly effective back or guide for a stack of paper or card board of any practicable width less than that of the clamp.

The improved guide comprises a longitudinal metal plate 14, of suitable dimensions, preferably about 15 inches long by 3 inches wide by of an inch thick, and a' plurality of transversely, arranged spring controlled inclined blades or wings 15 hinged thereto in the following manner:

The plate lt is provided along each longitudinal edge with equi-distant integral lugs 16, those on one side being-opposite those on the other side, and the two central I lugs 17 being substantially twice the widths of the other lugs. The lugs 16 are each provided with a transverse hole, and are about the same height as the thickness of the plate. The central lugs 17 are of the same height as the lugs 16, but each lug 17 has two transverse holes, as clearly shown by Fig. 3.

The wings 15 comprise metal plates which are of a suitable height, and of the same width as the plate 14. These wings areprovided on their lower edges with apertured lugs 18, which are adapted to fit snugly between the pairs of oppositely positioned lugs 16, and each plate is pivotally connected to apair of the said lugs 16, by a pin 19, which passes through the apertures in the lugs 16 of the plate and the lugs 18 of the wing, the central lugs 17 having two wings, as shown. Eight wings are preferably employed, though a greater or less number may be used if desired, and the wings on the right of the center of the plate 14, are inclined toward the right at an angle of approximately thirty degrees, while those on the left incline toward the left at a correspond ing angle,-the angle of inclination being defined by the bottom edges of the lugs 18, which are beveled at an obtuse an le, the

'beveled edges resting against the face of the plate 14, as showntin Fig.

The be'veled'edgesof the lugs permit the wings to swing in the direction of their inclination, but act as stops to prevcnt their movement inthe opposite direction, and the wings are held in their normal upright positions, by coil springs :20, one end of'each spring bearing against the wing, while the other end bears against the plate 14, the wing and plate being recessed to receive the respective ends of the spring so as to per.- 7

mit the wing to be swung down flat against the'plate, the space between the lugs 16 beingequal to the height of the wings.

In'practice, when it is desired to outer trimastack of paperor card board of less width than that of the clamp 4, the auxiliary back or guide is placed upon the table Q-and against the main guide or follower 7, and the latter is. adjusted by means of the hand wheel 9 and threaded rod 8 to properly 1" stack S, and compress the same to the required degree, and as the wings are always in contact with the stack, the said stack will be securely held and backed under the-action of the cutter, thus insuring uniformity of width throughout thestack from top to bottom.

The improved guide as illustrated, forms no permanent part of the cutting machine, and is not secured thereto in any way, but simply rests upon the table 2, and is only used in cutting card board and paper in very narrow widths, as above set forth, but if desired the said guide may be arranged to take the place of the main guide or follower, and thus form part of the cutting machine. 1

Having described invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. In a device of the character described,

a plate having transversely arranged inclined wings pivotally secured thereto at their lower ends and of the same width as said plate,means for defining the inclination of said wings, and springs for normally maintaining their inclination.

2. 'In adevice of the character described,

:2 toward the right while the left a' late havin two unconnected {gronps'of transversely arranged wings I pivotally secured theretoat their lower ends-and off the same width assaid plate," said groups being unconnected groups of transversely arranged W "secured 'tlfereto at their of the same width "astlie wings pivotally lower ends and plate, the right hand group belng inclined hand group is oppositely inclined, means for defining the inclination of said wings, and springs for normally maintaining their inclination.

4;. In a device of the character described, the combination with a base plate, of two unconnected groups of transversely arranged wings pivotally secured thereto at their lower ends, the right hand group of wings being inclined toward the right while the left hand group is inclined toward the left, the lower edges of said wings being beveled and in engagement with the plate whereby the angle of inclination of said wings is defined, and springs for normally maintaining theirinclinations.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a plate having pairs of apertured, oppositely arranged lugs, of

wmgs having apertured lugs adapted to register with the plate lugs and pivot pins which pass through said lugs, said wings comprising a right hand group which inclines toward the right and a left hand group which inclines toward the left, the

lower edges of said wing lugs being beveled and in engagement with the plate whereby the angle of inclination of said wings is defined, and springs surrounding said pivot pins for normally maintaining their inclination, said wings having a downward swinging movement against the action of their springs.

6. The combination with a paper cutting machine having a table, a stack guide or follower adjustably mounted in said table, and a stack clamp, of an auxiliary stack guide adapted to be positioned on said table against said follower and beneath said clamp, comprising a plate having two independent, unconnected groups of wings pivotally secured thereto at their lower ends, said groups being oppositely inclined and said wings being of the same width as the plate, means for defining the angle of inclination of said wings and springs for normally maintaining their inclinations, said wings having a downward swinging movement against the action of their sprmgs when engaged by said clamp.

7, The combination with apaperfciitting 'nrachinediaving-a table,-a stack guide or folilower a l 'nsta'bly j mounted insaid? table, and

a stack-clamp, ofjan auxiliary stack guide adapted to be positioned on said table be- :neath said clampi'and against. said follower, comprising a base plate having'two "independent; unconnected groups'o'f transversely arranged gwingspivotally secured thereto 'at :thlI' lower ends ando'f the same width-as th p a t right nd oup e n i c'lin'ed toward'therig'ht' while the lefthand group is oppositely inclined, beveled portions on said wlngs in engagement with the plate for defining the inclination of said wings, and springs for normally maintaining their inclination, said wings having a downward swinging movement against the action f their springs when engaged by said clamp.

8. A paper cutting machine provided with a table and a paper clamp, said table arranged to fit underneath said clamp and to receive the ends of the paper, said stack guide being provided with a plurality of resiliently moving blades arranged to yield under the reciprocal movement of said clamp to allow said clamp to clamp the paper against said table, said blades being of the same width as the plate and being divided into two oppositely inclined unconnected groups.

9. In a device of the character described, a plate having two independent groups of spaced transverse wings hinged thereto at their lower ends, the wings in each group being independent and unconnected, the wings in the left hand group being inclined toward the left and those in the right hand group being inclined toward the right, means for defining the inclination of the wings and springs for normally maintaining their inclination.

10. In a device of the character described, a plate having two independent groups of spaced, transverse wings hinged thereto at their lower ends, the space between the wings of each group equaling the height of a wing, and the wings of each group being unconnected, the wings of the left hand group being inclined toward the left, while the wings of the right hand group are inclined toward the right the lower edges of said wings being beveled and in engagement with the plate thereby to define their inclination and springs for maintaining this inclination.

11. In a device of the character described, a longitudinal plate having a left hand group of spaced transverse wings hinged thereto at their lower ends and inclined toward the left, the lower edges of said wings being beveled and in engagement with the plate thereby to define the angle of their ina stack guide on clination, said wings being unconnected and unconnected and adapted to fold down flat being adapted to fold down fiat againstthe against the' plate, the wings in each group plate, and springs for normally maintaining being of the same width as the plate.

their inclination, a right hand group of In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 5 similar spaced wings hinged at their lower in presence of two witnesses.

ends to the plate and inclined toward the a 1 right, their lower edges being beveled and a CHARLES, O in engagement with the plate thereby to de- Witnesses: -fine their inclination, and springs for main- G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

10 taining their inclination, said wings being ADELLA MLFOWLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivefc ents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, WakhingtonQD. G. l 

